Apple’s iPhone Pocket Sells Out Instantly Despite Online Mockery and Jokes
Apple’s newest release may not be a tech device, but it has generated the type of hype typically seen with limited-edition sneakers and designer bags. The company’s iPhone Pocket, a limited-edition wearable pouch created through a partnership with Japanese fashion label Issey Miyake, disappeared from shelves and online stores within minutes of launch.
This week, social media filled with footage of long lines snaking outside Apple’s SoHo location in New York, the sole US store carrying the item. When doors finally opened, the scene resembled a high-fashion runway event rather than a typical product release.
Surprisingly, inventory vanished almost immediately. Online buyers had no better luck, as “sold out” notifications appeared across all color options before the morning ended. The accessory, carrying a price tag between $150 (roughly Rs 12,500) and $230 (roughly Rs 19,000), may seem like an unusual offering a knitted iPhone holder from a brand famous for semiconductors and sleek displays. Yet Apple’s first genuine fashion collaboration in years appears to have struck a chord.
Online Ridicule Meets Sellout Success
For every admirer praising the aesthetic, just as many responded with skepticism. Social platforms erupted with comparisons calling the iPhone Pocket “an overpriced sock” and branding it Apple’s most “pointless product” to date. Some Reddit commenters criticized the release timing, describing it as insensitive during an ongoing cost-of-living squeeze.
Apple appeared unbothered by the criticism. The company positioned the pouch as part of a limited-edition partnership honoring craftsmanship and design excellence. A company representative highlighted its connection to Miyake’s heritage, describing it as “a tribute to a designer who influenced Apple’s design philosophy”.
Within fashion communities, however, the ridicule seemingly enhanced its appeal. Following classic luxury fashion dynamics, increased mockery translated to greater desirability. Scarcity remains the most powerful sales tactic. With restricted supply, premium pricing, and worldwide attention, the iPhone Pocket immediately entered the category of difficult-to-acquire Apple collectibles.
Longtime enthusiasts drew parallels to the early-2000s iPod Socks, those vibrant knitted sleeves that evolved into quirky collector’s pieces. For these fans, this latest release represents a nostalgic nod to a more experimental Apple, one comfortable merging technology with design flair and lightheartedness.
Despite widespread internet mockery, sales figures tell the complete story. The iPhone Pocket has completely sold out, with resellers already offering them at marked-up prices. What began as a fashion trial has become another Apple commercial triumph one that literally fits in your pocket.
A High-Fashion Statement, Apple Style
According to Apple, the product is “Inspired by the concept of ‘a piece of cloth,’ its singular 3D-knitted construction is designed to fit any iPhone as well as all pocketable items”. Constructed using Miyake’s distinctive 3D-knitted material, the pouch offers two configurations: a compact version and an extended one suitable for crossbody wear. Each design embodies the minimalist philosophy and precision craftsmanship that characterize the Miyake brand.
The partnership also holds emotional significance, as Apple explains. Issey Miyake’s creations share deep connections with Apple’s history, as he designed Steve Jobs’ signature black turtlenecks, which became as iconic to Apple’s identity as its logo.
Apple has intentionally limited product availability. Just ten physical stores globally carry the item, distributed across major fashion hubs including Tokyo, Paris, Milan, London, and New York. This strategic distribution has transformed what might have been a specialized experiment into an immediate collector’s piece.